Five Times Ianto Remembered Being Kidnapped (And One Time he Forgot)
by Raicheru
Summary: Ianto remembers being kidnapped on five separate occasions but then he remembers one time that he had forgotten. He realizes that from the very beginning, every time brought him that much closer to Jack.
1. Chapter 1

Five Times Ianto Remembered Being Kidnapped (And One Time He Forgot)

I love the concept of five times collections. This one is a lot longer than most of the others that I've read and each part could probably be expanded into a separate story. But I like the way it turned out.

* * *

Ianto drifted in a cold fog. He didn't know where he was or what was happening. His limbs refused to move and he wasn't entirely sure that he was breathing. Was this a dream? Was he unconscious? He would have swallowed with apprehension if he was able before letting the next thought surface. Was he dead? Jack didn't talk about it much but he'd once described death as an empty darkness that was only relieved by the excruciating sensation of being dragged over broken glass. The hollow loneliness in his eyes as he'd spoken had made Ianto's heart break just a little bit.

But this didn't feel like that. Ianto's sense of self was intact and he felt far too aware for this to be the end of his existence. He tried to wake himself up but consciousness seemed to be just beyond his grasp. Ianto wondered idly if he'd been drugged. Or maybe he'd been kidnapped. Again. A brief flutter of irritation skittered over his thoughts. It made him feel incompetent when he was captured, like he couldn't take care of himself. He was useless to the team like this. As the heat of his anger cooled with the ever present chill, his thoughts began to drift again. This wasn't the first time this had happened.

**-I-**

Ianto thumbed through the files in the drawer and tried very hard not to roll his eyes. The alphabet was really not that difficult but he'd yet to see a single cabinet that didn't have something out of place. For a slick, super secret organization, they were shit for filing. If it wasn't a weapon or some sort of alien technological marvel, nobody seemed to give a damn how it was stored. He'd been working for Torchwood less than two weeks and already his natural sense of order had been seriously compromised. He'd come down here hunting for a specific file, but his fingers itched to restore order to the entire cabinet. But there was a deadline coming up and he really didn't have time. Shuffling a handful of folders, he resigned himself to reorganizing one section at a time when he could make it back down here.

He froze as the alarm claxon sounded and warning lights began to flash. In the distance, he could hear doors slamming and seals engaging before the door leading into the hall slid shut with a hissing click. Lockdown. Something was loose in the tower and they were trying to contain it. Ianto headed to the nearby computer to perform the compulsory check-in with his supervisor. As per protocol, all personnel were to verify their location and status in the case of an emergency. He was greeted by a distracted mid level Research Tech who waved him off and told him to stay put without bothering to explain what was going on. Ianto was left staring at the blank screen with a frown on his face. They didn't seem to be overly concerned with common courtesy here either.

Ianto felt a small jitter of nerves as the initial burst of adrenaline started to fade. He was safe enough here behind locked doors but he knew there were strange things out there. Things that weren't of this earth. He'd never experienced anything first hand before coming to work for Torchwood, but somehow he'd just known with a deep kind of certainty.

Glancing around the room he was currently locked in, he decided not to let the time go to waste. His security clearance wasn't high enough to bypass the lock so he was stuck here until the lockdown ended. Trying not to think of the possibility that he could be locked in all night, he went back to filing, determined to get something done no matter what was going on. He pulled the folder he'd come searching for and set it aside before setting himself the task of undoing years of lackluster filing. Ianto lost himself in the reorganization which set his obsessive side to purring contentedly.

A while later, he was startled by the sound of the door unlocking. The alarm quieted and the warning lights started to dim. A quick check of the computer terminal showed that the screen was completely blank and Ianto frowned down at the darkened display. If the server was down, that would mean that he'd lost all of the work on his computer back at his desk. What had started off as a quick trip to the archives had now turned into a massive inconvenience that would set him back hours. Snapping up the folder he came for, he stalked out of the room.

The halls were almost eerily quiet. Ianto didn't see a single person on his way back his section and he began to second guess his decision to leave the archives when he was told to stay put. The sudden echo of booted feet further down the hallway made him pause. He'd only seen Torchwood's security in action once but that had been enough to make him extremely wary. He'd heard it was often shoot first and examine the remains later without even bothering to ask questions. Taking a hesitant step back, he gauged his chances of making it back to the archives unseen so he could wait out the lockdown that didn't seem to be over quite yet. But it sounded like they were almost on top of him, so he ducked through the nearest door and closed it quickly.

Ianto pressed his ear to the door but found that it was too thick to hear anything from the other side. Stepping back, he took a deep breath and let it out in a shaky sigh as he tried to get his racing heartbeat to slow. A hand clamped tightly over his mouth, making him drop the folder as another sudden surge of adrenaline made him light headed. His muffled cry of surprise faded into a pained groan as his right arm was twisted up behind his back.

"Don't wanna hurt you but I will."

The hissed words made Ianto shiver. He wasn't quite sure if it was a threat or a promise. He tried not to struggle as the grip on his arm tightened and he felt the shoulder joint shift uncomfortably. But before it was dislocated completely, his mouth was released as he was shoved face first into a set of shelves. His attacker grabbed a stray electrical cord from the shelf and quickly tied Ianto's hands behind his back before yanking his jacket down roughly to pin his arms to his sides. Ianto's breath caught in his throat. He'd signed the wavers and he'd been through the basic training required to get this job. But he'd never been this close to anything even remotely dangerous before. Forcing himself to calm, he risked a glance back over his shoulder.

"Gerald?" Ianto asked hesitantly.

He was spun suddenly around and a fist slammed into his jaw, snapping his head to the side and stunning him. He'd caught a glimpse of his attacker and recognized one of the Senior Researchers. Sort of. Gerald was a quiet man who pondered artifacts with intense focus and a reserved curiosity. But right now he appeared crazed and his wide, bloodshot eyes darted around the room as if searching for threats.

"Gerald, are you alright?" Ianto asked him, blinking away the dizziness from being struck.

Gerald's expression hardened as he forcibly took off Ianto's tie nearly choking him in the process. If the collar of his shirt hadn't served as a buffer between the silk and his skin, the friction would have burned him. Gerald wrapped the tie twice around Ianto's mouth, pulling it tightly between his teeth before tying it off.

"This is just a _vessel_," he spat as he shoved Ianto back into the shelves. "A means to an end." Gerald hissed angrily and pressed in close. Ianto recoiled and leaned back as the other man invaded his personal space. His huff of fear was cut off as fingers closed over his throat, dimpling the tender skin. Gerald held up a small device Ianto had never seen before and pressed a button. He felt a strange prickling sensation wash over him as their surroundings became strangely indistinct. The other man's breath ghosted over his cheek as he whispered. "Make a sound and die right here."

The door beside them opened and a security team filed in, their gazes focused and intense. Ianto trembled under the strain of holding still, certain that the fingers on his throat would close suddenly and choke the life out of him at any moment. His fingers twitched as he fought not to twist his hands in the bindings and drawing attention to himself. But the heavily armed personnel swept the room quickly and efficiently before slipping back out as if the space had been empty and there was nothing to find. Like they hadn't even noticed them standing there. Ianto bit back a disbelieving whimper as the door clicked shut again.

Several moments passed in silence but nothing else happened. Ianto's hopes that's he'd merely be subdued and left behind were dashed as Gerald, or whatever had taken control of his body, gripped his arm and steered him towards the door. If Gerald had intended to kill him, he would have done it already. He had no idea what the other man wanted. The door slid open and Gerald pushed Ianto out in front of him with one hand gripping the back of his neck. It appeared that security had moved on. The halls were deserted and everything was quiet once again.

Amazingly, they made it all the way down to one of the larger storage bays without seeing anyone else. Everyone was remaining behind closed doors and Ianto desperately whished that he'd done the same.

Once inside the cavernous space Gerald paused and heaved a shuddering sigh. "There."

Ianto stared up at the ship that took up most of the floor space. It had been shot down nearly a decade before by Torchwood when it violated Earth's air space. Ianto's heart began to hammer and a prickle of fear skittered up his spine. Was Gerald going to take him with or just kill him right here? He couldn't let him take him anywhere, but the fingers on the back of Ianto's neck tightened with bruising force when he tried to ease away from the other man while he was distracted.

"Stay where you are!"

Gerald suddenly spun around holding Ianto in front of him like a shield. They were surrounded by armed guards and every single one of them had their weapon drawn. Ianto hadn't even heard them come in. Compared to how they'd been tromping around the halls earlier, their silent appearance seemed almost magical. Maybe they'd been lying in wait, knowing this is where they'd be headed. Gerald gripped the back of Ianto's jacket and started pulling him back toward the ship, always keeping him between himself and the weapons aimed in their direction.

The deafening sound of multiple weapons being cocked echoed bay. Ianto swallowed hard around the gag and worried about his position with Torchwood. None of the guards were even looking at him as they kept their attention on his captor. Were they going to try to save him or did they consider him expendable? Were they going to try to save _Gerald_ or was he a lost cause? Ianto felt Gerald shift behind him like he was about to make a run for it, but before he could move, security took aim. Ianto's eyes widened and he couldn't quite bite back the muffled cry of alarm. Or maybe it was denial. He didn't want to die. For the first time in his life, he finally felt like he doing something that mattered.

Then there was a brilliant flare of light and he closed his eyes tightly. As he watched the glow grow brighter behind his closed lids, every sensation seemed to fade away into a numb kind of nothingness starting at his extremities and moving inward toward his torso. Ianto had a split second to feel a moment of irritation that he'd never had a chance to fix their bloody filing before darkness finally descended.

. . . . . . .

Several hours later Ianto found himself in the infirmary with a pounding head and tender jaw. He was questioned by security as he gave a full report of what had happened. Apparently Gerald had been infected by an alien consciousness that was trying to escape. He was recovering under supervision down the hall and seemed no worse for wear after the event. The bored security officer who explained all of this seemed unfazed by what had happed. Just another day at Torchwood.

Ianto had to sign a few extra liability wavers stating that he would not hold Torchwood responsible for any possible side effects that included but were not limited to, migraine headaches, memory loss, and three different types of radiation poisoning. The last made him wonder what they'd shot him with. No one seemed inclined to tell him beyond saying it was above his clearance level.

Overall, it had been a temporarily distressing event that was already starting to fade form his memory. But the hazard pay was a nice bonus and the nurse who had taken his vitals for his final checkup was very cute. She'd smiled at him with a flirtatious glint in her eye even though he must have looked a mess. When she'd handed Ianto a bottle of pills for the headache, she'd also slipped him a piece of paper with her number on it. Ianto smiled back at her and filed away the name Lisa Hallett for when he was back on his feet.


	2. Chapter 2

**-II-**

Ianto sighed as he headed back to his car with the parcel he'd retrieved from the post office. He'd been working at Torchwood Three for almost three months now and he was exhausted. There wasn't a single part of him that didn't ache with fatigue. It was hard to imagine how four people could make such a huge mess every single day. Between cleaning up after them, keeping the coffee maker running constantly, and attempting to navigate the maze that was the Torchwood Cardiff archives, he was running himself ragged. He barely had time to take care of Lisa and he ended up spending long hours after work at the Hub making sure that she was comfortable while he searched for a cure.

And when he wasn't doing those things, he was dodging the advances of his new boss. Ianto had heard the stories and experienced the Captain's flirtatious libido first hand so he thought he knew what he was getting into. But nothing had really prepared him for the force of Jack's attention. His presence filled the room and every time he came near, Ianto found himself responding despite his self reassurances that he wasn't attracted to men. But while the man constantly tested boundaries, he never went farther than Ianto allowed. And he didn't pry which was a blessing all on its own. He seemed content to let Ianto do the shit work without monitoring him too closely no matter how late he stayed at the Hub. If Captain Harkness misconstrued his work hours as dedication to the job, that was fine.

Ianto opened the passenger side door to set the parcel on the seat but he froze when something jabbed him in the back.

"Stay calm, nice and easy," said a low voice behind him. "Get in the car behind the wheel."

Ianto's fingers tightened on the edges of the small box. "Just take the car," he replied calmly as he retreated in the all too familiar numbness that had been his constant companion these past weeks. "The keys are in my left pocket."

The car didn't matter. The box that contained the secretly procured medication for Lisa was everything. He felt a brief flicker of hope as a hand slid inside his jeans pocket and retrieved his keys. But the gun prodded him again, urging him to comply with the initial request.

"Get in the car."

For a moment, Ianto cursed his careful selection of this particular parking space. It was just outside CCTV range. Just as he'd found a way to move about the Hub unseen, he'd researched travel routes across the city to avoid being tracked. There was no one in sight due his equally careful scheduling of his pickup time. Taking a steadying breath, Ianto got into the car and slid into the driver's seat noting that the carjacker slipped in just behind him. Just as Ianto's hand brushed the door handle so he could attempt to get right back out again, the locks engaged with a thunderous click.

"Now, now. None of that." The man waggled the key fob before holding out the keys with one hand and aiming the gun at Ianto with the other. "Be a good lad and settle in. We're going to go for a nice little drive."

Ianto took the keys and slid the box beneath his seat in what he hoped was a casual move. The man didn't seem to notice which was a small relief. He was regarding Ianto with an amiable expression like they were really about to go on some sort of enjoyable road trip.

"What do you want?" Ianto asked cautiously as he slid the key in the ignition and started the car.

"Oh, this and that," the man replied casually as he set the radio to a classical station.

Ianto pulled out into traffic and wondered idly if he could get away with causing an accident so he could escape. The Rift had been extremely active this week and he hadn't been able to slip away to see to Lisa the day before. He couldn't afford to waste any more time on his only day off. It was going to be hard enough to get into the Hub and avoid Jack without having to explain this. But strangely, he found that he wasn't particularly scared. If anything, he felt a little dead inside which probably should have worried him much more than it did.

"Where are we going?" That was the first question. What happened when they got there was something else entirely.

"Never you mind. Eyes on the road if you please."

Ianto's lips thinned as he fought not to ask another question. Ordinarily he did his best to be unobtrusive and blend into the background but the more he could find out, the better off he'd be. Information was power and right now he had none. There was no telling if this was just a run of the mill carjacking or if he had been targeted specifically. If the man had simply wanted the car, he would have taken it and left Ianto behind. Was he related to Torchwood in some way? Was he even human? Past experiences had taught him to be cautious the hard way.

The man's accent was hard to place. Ianto heard a bit of London but it kept mixing with a mild Scottish burr and a few Welsh vowels. He looked about middle age and there was a strange disconnected look to his eyes, like he was seeing things that no one else could see. Once they were on their way, he didn't say much beyond evasive non-answers to Ianto's questions and giving a few directions.

They quickly headed North out of Cardiff, heading toward Brecon. Green hills spread out as far as Ianto could see and he had to bite down on a brief surge of agoraphobia. He'd spent his whole life in cities and rarely ventured beyond their borders. Lately he'd been spending so much time underground that he sometimes forgot what it was like to see the sky. There was safety in the dark. It kept him hidden from prying eyes. Lisa's life support pulled enough energy that he was afraid to run more lights than he had to. He often spent a lot of his time in low light by necessity, and perhaps it dulled the edges of his perception a bit as well. In the dimness, Ianto could close his eyes almost all the way and pretend that she was okay as he looked at her face. Like she was merely napping and not struggling to retain her humanity.

After driving for nearly an hour with nothing but the sound of strings and melodic piano music, Ianto started to feel increasingly nervous. But not for himself. The farther from Cardiff he got, the farther he was from Lisa. He hadn't left her side since Canary Wharf and he'd only been away for as long as his current job required. What if he didn't make it back tonight? What if he didn't make it back at all? What would happen to her? Would she survive? Would she be found? Would they kill her? The last thought hit Ianto like a sucker punch to the gut. His breath shuddered in his throat as his hands started to tremble on the wheel.

"Easy," the man murmured softly. "There's no reason to be frightened."

"That's easy for you to say when you're the one with the gun," Ianto replied tightly.

"An unfortunate necessity to be sure."

"For what? Where are you taking me? What do you _want_?" Ianto's stress bled into his voice as he fought for control.

"That would be telling."

"Which is pretty much the point of my asking." Ianto steadied his hands and braced himself for the consequences of his words. Just because the carjacker had been relatively friendly up to this point didn't mean that he wouldn't get violent.

"There's nothing quite like a drive through the country," the man said with a happy sigh.

Ianto grit his teeth and kept driving, at a complete loss for what to do. If he stopped, he might get shot. There was the slim possibility that the gun might not be loaded but that was an awful chance to take. It wasn't just his own life he was gambling with. Lisa was waiting for him. All alone. Counting on him to save her like she'd saved him from himself. Hissing a breath through his teeth, Ianto slammed on the breaks and stopped right in the middle of the road. The abrupt halt flung them both forward against the seatbelts and he almost wished his passenger hadn't bothered to wear his. It was the first time he'd ever truly wished ill of someone but the mild flush of shame was overwhelmed by the heat of his frustration.

A shot rang out and the punch of sound was deafening in the enclosed space of the car. Ianto felt the sudden hard press of the gun muzzle against his temple. It shoved him hard enough to bruise as he was pinned against the window. Rolling his eyes to the left, he saw the shattered hole in the radio that sputtered futilely before dying with a small spark and a puff of smoke.

"Now that wasn't very nice." The man's words came out in a soft hiss. The sibilant sound almost didn't sound human.

Ianto sucked in a breath as the gun pressed into him hard enough to make his head pound and his pulse started to throb behind his eyes. He wondered if a single shot would do the job for him as well like it had for the radio. Would anyone even notice if he was gone? As soon as he asked himself, he already knew. Lisa. Lisa would miss him, would mourn him. But only when she was lucid enough to know he wasn't there anymore. A single tear slipped down his cheek as a sudden sob escaped him. He'd let her down. The pressure instantly eased and the gun barrel stroked gently down his cheek.

"There, there. Don't cry." Fingers awkwardly petted Ianto's hair in what might have been a comforting gesture under other circumstances. "Perhaps I've been a bit rash but there's no need to be scared." The man brushed a few strands of hair away from Ianto's forehead. "Head east up ahead," he said kindly. "It's not much farther now."

Sniffing as quietly as he could, Ianto pulled the ragged tatters of his dignity back together and placed his hands on the wheel. He loathed how he'd lost control of himself. He'd been carefully studying and planning for months, finding ways to help Lisa and keep her human. All of that had fallen apart in less than an hour. Pulling the car back into gear, Ianto started to drive, keeping his eye out for the first eastern turnoff.

They skimmed along the edge of Brecon heading East and then North again in silence. Ianto managed to keep the full onslaught of tears at bay even though his eyes continued to sting. He no longer dared to press and ask what was to become of him. He lapsed into a kind of half conscious state where he shut down and he kept his focus on the pavement. There was no longer any sense of time, as if they were driving inside their own temporal bubble that had become disconnected from the rest of the world.

"Stop."

Ianto carefully slowed, afraid that he was just imagining that he was being allowed to stop the car. He looked to see where they'd ended up but all he could see was rolling hills and rocks in every direction. What were they doing here?

"Well, my dear boy. It's been a charming afternoon but I'm afraid our journey has come to an end." His voice was cheerful as he gazed fondly at their surroundings. Ianto had no idea what he was really seeing. "And now," the other man said. "I'm afraid this will be unpleasant."

Ianto didn't have time to contemplate what he meant before the butt of the gun slammed into his temple.

. . . . . . .

Ianto regained consciousness on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. All of the day's warmth had leached away from the pavement beneath him and the chill of night was slowly seeping into his body. There was no sign of his car or of the strange man who had brought him there. His keys, wallet, and phone were all missing and he had miles of walking before he reached the nearest settled area where he might find a way to arrange a ride back to Cardiff. The single consolation was the box of medication that had been tucked under his arm. A deep sense of relief washed over him, making his eyes sting again. Ianto sniffed and curled protectively around the box while he waited for the sudden dizziness to pass so he could get up and start walking.

Hours later, he slipped into the empty Hub and was grateful that everyone was either home or out dealing with an alert. Lisa welcomed him back with a smile that was a bit faded at the edges from the pain but no less genuine. Ianto forced himself to return it with as much effort as he could manage. He'd promised her that he'd find a way and he always kept his promises. Opening the box that had caused as much pain as it was supposed to relieve, he pulled out a fresh syringe. Lisa sighed as the medication hit her and Ianto could practically see the tension melt out of her body.

He waited until her eyes closed and her breathing fell into synch with the rhythmic pump of the respirator before he finally let the tears fall. His hands shook as he leaned in to kiss her cheek tenderly. He'd almost lost her today through his own carelessness. Feeling bone-weary with unhappiness and the weight of a responsibility he wasn't sure he was strong enough to carry, he collapsed onto the cot he kept in her room. He lay awake for a while before he was finally lulled to sleep by the beeping of the life support systems.


	3. Chapter 3

**-III-**

Ianto cursed his choice of footwear as his dress shoes slipped on the wet pavement. He really needed to rethink his wardrobe if he was going to be out in the field this often. He'd been on a takeout run when he got the call about several pieces of alien tech that had appeared on the scanner and he hadn't had time to return to the hub or his flat to change. Owen, Gwen, and Jack had headed out to join him in retrieving the items while Tosh remaining at the Hub to coordinate. But so far, there was no sign of what Tosh was describing over the comms. Ianto took a calming breath and fought not to roll his eyes as a soft rain started to patter down from the sky. That was the way this week seemed to be going.

The coffee maker had mysteriously stopped working on Tuesday morning, which seemed to happen every time Owen worked overnight at the Hub. The replacement part wouldn't arrive for two more days. On Wednesday, Ianto had found an entire drawer full of archive files in disarray because Gwen had forgotten to fill out a report from the week before and wanted to look up an address she couldn't remember. Her excuse for leaving it such a mess was that Rhys had planned a rare date night and she couldn't bring herself to put it off once again. She said she'd planned to sort it but had simply forgotten. Thursday afternoon had resulted in Jack getting a distressing amount of blood on his coat. Ianto was finding it increasingly harder to look the drycleaner in the eye. Tosh seemed to be the only one who hadn't made extra work for him lately.

And now on Friday night, he was traipsing about the city looking for an object that may or may not be the size of an egg. There had been no indication as to whether Tosh had meant chicken or ostrich when she'd made the comparison. Ianto tried to shield his PDA from the rain as he studied a street map to get his bearings. While he'd grown up in the area, he hadn't spend much time skulking about in alleyways in this part of the city. The plastic wrapped scaffolding shrouding the building beside him flapped in a sudden breeze, sending a cascade of cold water down the back of his neck. Ianto shivered and continued down the alley.

"There," Toss said in his ear. "You're right on top of it."

Ianto glanced around but didn't see anything except a trio of ripe, overflowing bins.

"You have got to be kidding," he muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Ianto touched his headset to turn off the microphone and swore heartily in Welsh. He had rubber gloves in the car but it was parked nearly half a mile away. He needed to grab up the item and get out of the rain before he became completely soaked through. Huffing an irritated sigh, he moved in to get a closer look and hoped that he wouldn't end up to his elbows in garbage. The stench was strong enough that no matter what happened, he'd definitely need a shower when he was through.

A hot flush crept up his neck to warm his chilled skin. Jack had cornered him in the showers the other day after cleaning up after a particularly messy hunt. When Ianto had made the offer that opened that particular door, it seemed to have given the Captain tacit permission step over the careful boundaries that they'd been maintaining up until that point. Ianto still didn't really know what he'd been doing when he brought up the stopwatch. But he didn't regret it.

Jack's attention was addictive. He still flirted and his words dripped with innuendo more often than not. On the surface in front of others, it almost seemed like business as usual. But Jack went out of his way to find excuses to get Ianto alone. In the archives or on a hunt, it didn't really matter where. Jack would slide his hands in under Ianto's suit, finding bare skin with an expert precision that seemed to defy physics. Depending on the timing and where they were, Ianto might put up a token resistance but it wouldn't take much for Jack's touch to make him give in and melt against him. He found himself responding just to the thought of it. But one glance at the bins brought Ianto firmly back to the present and snapped him out of the fantasy. No sense putting it off any longer.

He leaned in closer to get a better look and prayed that the item wasn't buried in the waste. To his extreme relief he saw the dull sheen of silver on the ground behind one of the bins. A sphere that was about four inches in diameter lay nestled in a pile of empty crisp packets and discarded noodles. It was strangely warm to the touch as he pulled it out where he could see it. Rain beaded on it's lightly textured surface as he reached for his earpiece.

"I've got it, Tosh," he told her.

"I'm not getting strong readings for Rift activity but they're steady. It's almost as if the separate pieces are connected," she said.

"Be careful with it, Ianto," Jack added. "It doesn't appear to be immediately dangerous but that could change."

"Have you ever seen anything like it?"

"No. We'll have to get them back to the Hub so we can take a look. Contain and transport for now."

"Oi!" An angry voice from the mouth of the alley drew Ianto's attention. A man in a long, tatty looking jacket stood looking angrily at him. He had his collar turned up and his hands in his pockets. His sullen glare spoke volumes but his body language made it clear that this was not a friendly social call. Things could get ugly quickly. Ianto's hands were full with the PDA and the artifact but that didn't matter much since his gun was back at the Hub. He didn't think to bring it with him on a takeaway run.

"People throw away the most interesting things," he said offhandedly.

"Mind your own and drop it, mate." He sneered. "Wouldn't want to mess up that pretty suit of yours." Straightening, Ianto gave the man what he hoped was a disarming smile as he fought not to roll his eyes. He didn't think negotiation would be of much use. Deciding on discretion over valor, he turned suddenly and sprinted in the other direction down the alley. The man appeared human enough but he didn't have the look of someone who had the best interests of humanity in mind. Ianto heard him yell something unintelligible before giving chase.

Taking a left at the end of the alley onto the sidewalk, Ianto crossed the street and ducked into another. He headed in the general direction of his car while trying to throw off pursuit. He could hear the man muttering something behind him but didn't dare glance back to see if he was making headway or if he was about to be overtaken.

"Ianto, what's wrong?" Jack's voice rang in his ear.

"We've got company, Sir," he huffed. The exertion of running was starting to make his breath come in heavy pants. "It appears we're not the only ones looking for these tonight. Heading West." Ianto broke out of the second alley and pelted down the sidewalk toward another intersection. His suit was now soaked through as the rain started to fall in earnest and the fabric bunched and clung uncomfortably around his joints.

"I'm only three blocks away, I'm coming to you," Jack replied.

Ianto was about to tell him that he was fine when he a van suddenly screeched to a halt in front of him at the intersection, making him stumble as he tried not to slam into it. The door slid open revealing two men in back.

"Ianto!"

Ianto whirled around to see Jack clearing the corner across the street. Taking hasty aim, Ianto threw the sphere at him just before rough hands gripped him and dragged him inside the van. A rag was shoved into his mouth before a cloth bag was pulled down over his head and he was pinned to the floor. He struggled against them but a quick rap of his temple against the van floor stunned him enough allow them to secure his wrists and ankles with tape. Through the haze, Ianto heard somebody get in behind him and close the door as the van took off down the street.

"Did you get it?" one of them asked. "It was the last one."

"That other bastard got it."

Ianto recognized the gruff voice of his pursuer. The cloth of the bag was yanked up and back pulling the fabric tight across his face and throat. Ianto grunted in pain behind the gag as it became harder to breathe.

"Don't know who you fuckers are, but you're messing with the wrong people," the man hissed before slamming Ianto's head against the floor again. Genuine blackness crept into his vision over the darkness of the bag. His last clear thought was how disappointed Jack would be that he'd screwed things up and gotten caught again. He was so useless in the field. Time seemed to slow as Ianto's surroundings were reduced to the sound of the engine and the shift of the van as it took several tight corners. He lay limply on the floor for a while before the vehicle finally came to a halt. When the door opened again, Ianto was lifted and carried none too gently. The sudden shift in position made him dizzy.

When full awareness finally returned to him, Ianto found himself slumped in a chair. The bindings at his wrists and ankles tying him to the chair were the only thing keeping him from sliding to the floor. The bag had been replaced by a thick band of fabric pressing against his lashes and wide bands of tape had been plastered over his mouth sealing the rag inside. He huffed a breath through his nose and twisted his hands where they were bound behind him. He was surrounded by the familiar sounds of the bay and the shipyard that he heard everyday while he manned the Tourist Office. It seemed they'd started out halfway across the city only to unwittingly bring him to Torchwood's doorstep.

Ianto froze as a door opened and footsteps entered the room. It was too late to feign unconsciousness so instead he forced himself to relax and sit still. Fingers gripped his hair, yanking his head back as the tape was ripped harshly from his face. Ianto spat out the sodden wad of fabric and tried to work the moisture back into his mouth but he remained silent.

"Who are you?" It was the man who had chased him through the alley and he sounded furious.

But Ianto didn't say anything. He just licked his tender lips before clamping his jaw shut. A sharp slap made him hiss again.

"Where's our kit?" the man demanded.

When Ianto still refused to speak, a closed fist slammed into his left cheekbone. The blindfold took part of the blow but his head was still ringing. He was tense and worried about what was going to happen to him but he wasn't as frightened as he might have been a few weeks ago. He supposed that it was all relative. Ianto was reasonably certain that no matter what his captor intended, he wasn't going to carve him up to be eaten. Not that there wasn't any danger. Ordinary folks could be just as deadly as murderous aliens or cannibals. But it wasn't the mind numbing terror he'd experienced before. If anything, he was disappointed in his own failure.

The echo of gunshots made him tense up again and he could hear shouting from somewhere in the building. Ianto heard Gwen calling his name but her voice was drowned out by the rip of tape being peeled off the roll. Before he could call out to her, he'd been gagged again. Despite how calm he'd been earlier, he felt his heart begin to race as the muzzle of a gun was jammed up under his chin. The door slammed open and the man shifted behind him to wrap an arm around his throat and reposition the gun at his temple.

"Step away from him," Gwen said, her tone low.

"Fancy your chances, luv?" he shot back.

"Let's not do anything rash." She was trying to talk him down but the tension in the room was palatable. Two more shots echoed in the distance and Ianto felt his captor shift the gun away, presumably to aim at Gwen. Before he could fire, Ianto threw his weight to the left, knocking the chair over and making the shot go wide. The blast of sound ripped through his right ear. He threw his head back and there was a satisfying crunch of broken bone as the other man's nose broke. It made the flash of pain in the back of his head worth it. Gwen's footsteps move closer but she bypassed him momentarily to secure the other man before returning to his side.

"Are you alright, Sweetheart?" She peeled the tape carefully away from Ianto's mouth and slid the blindfold up and off. He winced slightly as the knot pulled at his hair.

"I'm fine." Ianto selfishly wished that it was Jack who had come to his rescue but was also relieved that he hadn't. He didn't want the other man to see him like this. But when he stood shakily on his feet after being cut free, Jack was standing in the doorway watching them. His expression was unreadable as he scanned the room briefly before settling his gaze on Gwen.

"Area's secure," Jack said, his tone professional and cold. "A round of Retcon and an inventory roundup should take care of it."

Ianto found himself glancing away self-consciously, too afraid to see if Jack would acknowledge him or not. Gwen squeezed his shoulder before getting to work. While she and Owen rounded up the five other men in the warehouse and Jack intercepted the police who responded to the sound of gunshots, Ianto focused on gathering the alien items that were being kept in one of the storerooms. He buried himself in the work and tried not to dwell on Jack's obvious lack of concern.

. . . . . . .

When they got back to the Hub, Owen went back to the autopsy that had been interrupted by the initial search. Jack set Toshiko to do security runs of the area to try and identify how the smugglers had gotten so close without being detected. He told Gwen to get on the phone and do damage control with the police while searching their system for any mentions of the men and what they might have been doing. Ianto's first instinct was to head straight to the coffee machine but Jack caught his gaze for the first time since he'd gone out to pick up the takeaway.

"Ianto, my office. Now." His tone was still chilled with authority and something that sounded like disappointment. He strode purposefully through the door without another word and didn't bother to see if he was following or not.

Gwen's expression darkened and she opened her mouth immediately to argue but Ianto shook his head. He'd take responsibility and deal with whatever came his way. Taking a breath, he prepared himself for a debriefing and possibly a lecture. And maybe a pink slip and a dose of Retcon for good measure. When he stepped into the office, Jack was leaning back against the desk with his hands gripping the edge but he stood up straight as Ianto came in and closed the door. He hadn't yet taken off his coat which usually meant he was trying to maintain a sense of authority.

"I'm sorry, Sir. I-" Ianto broke off as he was suddenly wrapped in a tight hug. He froze, unsure of what he should do, but when one of Jack's hands slid up to stroke the nape of his neck soothingly, Ianto finally allowed himself to relax. He wrapped his arms around Jack's waist and buried his nose in the collar of his coat. Inhaling deeply, and let out a humming sigh.

Jack turned his head to brush his lips gently over the darkening bruise on Ianto's cheek. "Stay here tonight," he whispered.

For as many hours as Ianto put in at the Hub and the number of times they'd fooled around during and after work hours, he'd never spent the entire night with Jack in the Hub before. There was always an excuse to gather his clothes and head back to his flat. He was always afraid of becoming too attached or investing too much of himself in whatever it was they had going between them. Ianto told himself that it would hurt less when Jack's attention moved on to someone else if he avoided that kind of intimacy. But right now he couldn't imagine being anywhere else.


	4. Chapter 4

**-IV-**

Ianto surfaced from a deep sleep and muzzily wondered what had woken him. Jack lay sprawled at his side, his face relaxed in sleep. It was rare for Ianto to wake before him and he took a few moments to watch the other man breathing quietly in the dark. He was tempted to curl into Jack's body and go back to sleep but his bladder had other plans. Slipping quietly from the bed and pulling on a pair of pajama pants, he headed down the hall to the bathroom. He'd become much more comfortable around Jack but still hadn't got to the point where he could pad around naked without feeling self conscious, even in his own flat. Jack, on the other hand, had no trouble striding around in all his glory and considered wearing clothing to bed mostly unnecessary. Ianto felt a slow, lazy smile pulling at his mouth.

Contemplating Tommy's place in time had made him reassess Jack's. The other man was such a strange contradiction with his fifty-first century pheromones and almost quaint attachment to period dress and accessories. Not that Ianto minded because he really did love that coat. But thinking about how far away Jack was from home made Ianto want to give him somewhere that he could belong if he wanted. At first, he hadn't quite believed it when Jack said he'd come back for him, especially since he'd sounded like he was trying to cover for some sort of slip by saying he came back for the whole team. There had to have been so many people in his life and so many places he could choose. Why would he want to stay here in Cardiff?

But since he'd returned, Jack had gone out of his way to show Ianto how much he really meant what he'd said. He'd even gone so far as to take him out on a proper date which had been both awkward and pleasing at the same time. But it wasn't until after they'd gone back to Ianto's flat and that he'd really begun to believe. The quiet tenderness of Jack's touch that night had been a surprise. Instead of the flurry of intense mutual lust that often drove their coupling, it was as if Jack had been worshiping Ianto's body and kissing apologies into his skin. It was the first time they'd made love instead of just shagging. Since then they'd come to spend as many nights at Ianto's flat as they did in Jack's quarters at the Hub.

After washing his hands, Ianto headed back to the bedroom and wondered if he'd be able to slip quietly back into bed and go to sleep or if he'd need to satisfy his gradually reawakening cock. Just thinking about Jack's hands on him was enough to spark his interest. Ianto heard a sound from the bedroom and was worried that Jack had woken to find him gone. But when he came back into the room, a surge of adrenaline washed away any thoughts of arousal when he saw the shadow of a stranger standing over the bed. As he watched, the shadow fired silenced shots into Jack's prone body.

"JACK!"

Ianto leapt for the drawer in the nearby nightstand where he kept his gun and immediately took a stance to fire on the intruder. He fired off three shots that were obscenely loud in the darkness but they were absorbed by some sort of energy shield that glowed a bright green around the intruder's body. When the light faded, the room was left in shadow again. Bullets would be useless unless he could get his hands on the power cell that controlled the shield. There was a brighter flash of light from behind Ianto that illuminated the whole room. He felt his pulse pound and the hold on his weapon faltered when he saw the dark stains on the duvet over Jack's chest and the dripping hole in his forehead.

He cried out in frustration as he was grabbed from behind. His weapon was taken from him by two men who appeared out the flash of light and took hold of his arms. The third came forward with something that looked like an oxygen mask attached to a small canister. Ianto kicked out and forced him to stumble back. Wrenching himself from his captor's grip, he slammed the heel of his hand into the nose of the one on the left. His aim was a little off and he hit his cheek but it was enough to force him back. He couldn't see their faces through the masks but he didn't think there were human features beneath. The one on the right seemed to have better reflexes as he raised Ianto's weapon to point it right between his eyes. Ianto froze and kept his hands in sight.

The first one barked something unintelligible that sounded like both a command and a reprimand as he held his hand to his face. He grabbed the gun and tossed it in the far corner before moving forward and taking Ianto's arm again. The second figure moved forward to take his other arm and they tightened their grip to keep him still. Ianto growled and tried to pull free.

Please, please, let Jack wake up, Ianto silently begged. But he remained motionless on the bed and Ianto tried not to think about the dark stains he'd seen staining the duvet. He wasn't as concerned about himself as he was about Jack waking up alone in a morgue somewhere. With all the noise, someone would have called the police by now. Ianto struggled in his captor's grip but one of them fisted a hand in his hair to hold his head as the mask was placed over his nose and mouth. The acrid scent of chemicals overwhelmed him and his angry cries slowly faded to frustrated whimpers as consciousness was stolen from him.

When Ianto woke, he had to fight down a wave of nausea as he struggled to open his eyes. He found that he was in a rundown looking room lying on a bare metal framed cot. There was a heavy weight on his chest and he glanced down to see an oddly shaped object with angles that were almost painful to look at, like they existed in more dimensions than his mind was equipped to deal with. Ianto closed his eyes and turned his head away. A shudder ran through his frame as his skin started to tingle. A glimpse through his lashes showed him that the object had started to glow a sullen yellow. That probably wasn't good.

Ianto rolled onto his side and fought not to crawl out of his own skin as the object slid off of his bare chest onto the floor. It left a trail of hot, tingling warmth in its wake. He had to suppress another compulsive shudder as he levered himself shakily to his feet. The door was closed and when he tested the handle, he found it locked. He felt weak enough that he wasn't sure if he'd be able to force it open. But the hinges were a little loose and he could work with that but he'd need something to pry the pins out. The room was completely bare except for the cot he'd been lying on. Gripping the aluminum frame, he used it to push the alien object into the far corner. The glow intensified for a moment, making nausea roil in his gut again but he swallowed it back.

He set to work pulling one of the metal cross braces free of the cot so he could use it as a tool. Ianto had no idea how much time he had. His captors could come back at any moment and he couldn't afford to have his freedom restricted any more than it already was. As he worked, the artifact pulsed again and it nearly sent him to his knees. Whatever was happening, it seemed to be draining something from him and he was steadily getting weaker. Losing consciousness was not on his list of things to do tonight. He hoped that there wasn't going to be any permanent damage to his body.

He wondered what the rest of the team was doing right now. It was hard to tell how long he'd been out and there were no windows in the room so it could be morning for all he knew. Had they gotten the call that Jack had died? Had they noticed that Ianto was missing? His hands started to shake and he clenched his fingers tightly as he pulled on the cross brace. It came off in his hand with a shriek of tortured metal. Glancing at the strange object one more time, he tossed broken remains of the cot on top of it, hiding it from sight. The feeling of nausea lessened but didn't quite go away completely.

Taking a cleansing breath, set to work loosening the pins in the door hinges so he could get out. After the first test blow, he paused to listen for any other sounds but he didn't hear anything. He continued hitting the pin with the end of the metal brace and tried making as little sound as possible. Tosh had shown him some of the finer points of jail breaking after the last time they'd been held prisoner. But instead of a basement, this looked like an empty office and judging by the echoing quality of the sound outside the room, it was in the middle of an empty warehouse. He nearly rolled his eyes. It was always some sort of warehouse.

Ianto caught the first pin as it fell loose and he curled his fingers tightly around it. The image of Jack lying still and bleeding kept flashing behind his eyes. What if he didn't come back this time? Ianto wasn't quite sure what he would do but until he knew for sure, he needed to keep going. By the time he'd pulled the third pin loose, he was sweating but he wasn't sure if it was from the physical effort or from the effects of the artifact that was still glowing and slowly getting brighter. The door came loose relatively easily as the padlock on the outside splintered the frame. He set it aside and moved out into the hallway. The more space he put between himself and the artifact, the better. The nausea was already starting to ease.

There was no one in sight as he crept down the deserted hall. He still couldn't see any windows and the lighting was dim as he passed three more empty rooms like the one he'd just escaped. Ianto couldn't quite hold back the grimace of distaste as he felt the grit of age and neglect under the soles of his bare feet. He needed to find an exit and figure out where he was so he could contact the team. Whoever, or whatever, these beings were, they needed to be stopped. If the artifact Ianto left behind was any indication, they could cause a great deal of damage.

The first exit door he found was chained shut. He kept moving and found a door that opened deeper into the main part of the warehouse. There was some sort of alien ship docked in the center of the large room. Wisps of steam rose from ports spaced along the side but judging from the thicker clouds rising from the jagged rents in the hull, it wasn't functional. On a table nearby there was an array of tools he couldn't identify along with a small handheld control that was more familiar. It controlled the force field that had surrounded one of his attackers earlier. There was one just like back at the Hub that was no longer functional because the power cell had been depleted.

Ianto plucked the handheld up off the table and nearly cried with relief when he saw an almost shockingly mundane gun peeking out form under a handful of tools. A quick check showed him a half empty clip. Better than nothing. A angry exclamation made Ianto turn. Flicking a switch on the control box, he aimed and fired in one smooth motion. For the first time, he was grateful for Jack's personal weapon instruction. If he could aim and fire with Jack's hands on him and still hit the target, he could do it under any conditions. The shot took his opponent cleanly in the shoulder, spinning him in place and sending him tumbling to the floor. It let out a low keening sound from its oddly shaped jaws. Seeing it without the mask made it clear that it wasn't human.

The two others came running, both making a terrible, angry racket. They raised their weapons but Ianto leveled his so it was aimed directly at their fallen companion.

"Stay where you are," he told them.

They stopped and eyed him warily, their large, dark eyes glittering with an inhuman intelligence. Ianto wasn't quite sure they understood him beyond the tone of his words and his body language. They stared at each him and the tension in the room became steadily more palatable as the moments passed. Ianto knew he was already out of his depth and wasn't quite sure how he was going to end this relatively peacefully. His intention was to do a bit of reconnaissance before escaping so he could return with better equipment and backup. But his gun hand was starting to tremble slightly under the strain of holding the position for so long. His opponent's eyes narrowed slightly and they seemed to be waiting for him to falter.

"And that's enough of that!" Jack's voice rang out from behind Ianto. "You guys should really know better than to screw with me after the last time."

Ianto fought not to shiver as relief threatened to make his knees buckle. His opponents looked like they were about ready to shoot or bolt but Gwen and Owen came up behind them with their weapons at the ready. Out of the corner of his eye, Ianto saw Toshiko move forward to cover the third. Seeing that they were outnumbered, all three aliens slumped in defeat.

There was a sudden flurry of activity from the team as they disarmed and secured the prisoners. Owen knelt at the fallen one's side to examine the injury. Ianto didn't turn to look at Jack even when he felt the weight of the other man's coat settle gently on his bare shoulders. Ianto merely slipped his arms into the sleeves and nodded before striding off to take stock of everything that would need to be transported and make a list of the things that would need to be done to secure the building. He was tired and stressed and wasn't sure how long he'd be able to keep it together if he looked into Jack's eyes.

. . . . . . .

Three hours later, their newest guests, who happened to be brothers, were settled in for the night in the vaults. The warehouse had been swept and secured so they would be able to make repairs to their ship under tight supervision so they could leave as soon as possible. Jack had met them nearly a decade ago when they'd come to Earth looking for trouble and he'd sent them packing. Apparently, they'd hit a meteor shower this time and had stopped for repairs.

Their excuse for the attack in Ianto's flat was that they knew Jack couldn't die. The object they'd used on Ianto was a kind of fuel cell that extracted a specific kind of Rift energy from living beings that resided near temporal anomalies. Ianto was apparently brimming with it due to the explosion that preceded John Hart's departure. The device wasn't necessarily fatal but it could potentially damaging. Since the triplets seemed to have a grudge against Jack, hurting someone he cared about was just a bonus for them.

Ianto insisted on heading back to his flat immediately to clean up the mess even though dawn was breaking and he desperately needed sleep. He was holding himself together well enough but as he stood in the bedroom gripping the bloodstained sheets in his hands, he felt something come loose inside of him. His fingers clenched and his chest ached as his curled forward. Gentle hands eased his fingers loose before Jack wrapped his arms around him and turned him away from the bed.

"I'm so sorry, Jack." Ianto clutched at Jack's shirt, afraid to let him go.

"For what?" Jack asked him softly.

"For making you come back from the dark alone." He tried so hard to be there for Jack, to make sure that he didn't have to struggle back to life by himself. Lips brushed his hair and hands rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"C'mon." Jack steered him toward the door. "Come back to the Hub with me. I'll take care of all of this."

Ianto didn't have the energy or the will to argue. He slept in Jack's bed that day wrapped in his arms still wearing the coat that he couldn't bring himself to shed.


	5. Chapter 5

**-V-**

Ianto coaxed the coffee machine to life, filling it with water and measuring the grounds. Almost as an afterthought, he put on the kettle as well. Tea wasn't usually on the menu most days but their guest preferred it over coffee. She had professed to making a wrong turn through the Rift and was currently working with them to figure out how to return to her own place in the universe. Rift visitors came in all shapes and sizes and this one in particular seemed to have her eye on Jack. Well, Ianto amended mentally, most people tended to have their eye on Jack one way or another. But she seemed particularly keen for some reason. He glanced down at the main area of the Hub where she sat on their tatty sofa speaking animatedly with Tosh.

Jack was leaning against the doorframe of his office watching them with a curious expression on his face. Ianto didn't know quite what to make of Jack's reaction to the newcomer. Delilah seemed knowledgeable from a technological standpoint and charming when she chose. It was odd to think that he would feel much better if Jack was flirting with her outrageously like he did with almost everyone else. There was a strange sense of intimacy in his quiet regard and he seemed to be intrigued by her which was making Ianto uneasy.

Ianto bit back a sigh as he went through the motions of making coffee while he continued to keep his ear open to the conversation below. It was mostly a technical discussion on wavelengths and temporal distortions. Tosh seemed delighted to have someone to discuss her theories with in detail. The rest of team tried their best but they didn't have half of her brilliance and conversations were often one sided at best. Ianto was glad to see her opening up and showing enthusiasm but he was irritated at the same time. Something wasn't quite right about Delilah but he didn't have any substantial evidence that she was anything other than what she said. It was just a feeling.

Carrying a tray laden with coffees and tea in the single cup and saucer he'd found in one of the cupboards, Ianto carefully walked down the circular stairs and started handing drinks around. Delilah took the saucer with a gracious smile.

"Why, thank you darling," she said, her accent sounding exotic and cultured. She turned that smile on Jack, and Ianto swore that it became just a bit heated. "You have quite a treasure here, Captain Harkness."

Jack tilted his head and smiled back with a hint of his usual flirtation flickering in his eyes. "Every member of my team is a valuable asset," he said, his tone strangely sincere.

Ianto felt his mouth tighten and tried not to feel disappointed. For as many times as he'd reprimanded Jack for the comments he invariably made, he'd grown used to the innuendo and verbal sparring. Hearing him say anything so seriously made him itch and not in a good way. Ianto returned Delilah's smile and felt it was a bit thin but couldn't quite manage to do any better than that. Tosh smiled warmly at him and offered a quiet thanks before turning back to talking with their guest. If she noticed his quickly souring mood, she didn't say anything. Ianto hoped that Jack would be more observant but was quickly disappointed.

Ordinarily when Ianto handed Jack his mug, the other man would let his fingertips linger on Ianto's hand. It had started out as Jack's gentle, yet persistent seduction as he tested Ianto's personal boundaries. Gradually, such simple touches had shifted into a sort of affirmation that Ianto welcomed and sometimes yearned for. But today Jack was clearly distracted and took the mug without even looking in Ianto's direction. He followed Tosh and Delilah as they got up and moved down towards one of the workbenches where Delilah's temporal manipulator lay in pieces. They'd been working on it for three days now and repairs were almost complete. It wasn't soon enough in Ianto's opinion. He kept his expression neutral as he moved on to Gwen's station.

Gwen had seemed a little more suspicious of Delilah than the rest at first, perhaps because of the circumstances of her own introduction to Torchwood. But she'd been preoccupied with a pet project involving something Andy had told her about earlier that week. Her attention kept drifting away from the others as she focused on her own task rather than examining the new woman who was currently occupying Jack's thoughts. Ianto set her mug down next to her elbow and didn't bother trying to catch her eye before heading down into the autopsy bay where Owen was pottering about with some blood samples.

"Are you still moping?" Owen asked him as he took the last mug from the tray.

"I'm not-" Ianto stopped himself before he could continue his automatic and rather petulant refusal.

Owen snorted and shook his head before taking a sip of his coffee. He fixed Ianto with a considering look that managed to be only slightly condescending. "Afraid he's found something new to play with?"

"No," Ianto replied too quickly. But wasn't that what he was worried about? Ianto gripped the tray tightly in both hands until the melamine began to creak in protest. No, it was something else. He just wasn't sure what it was. "Something's not right about this," he muttered.

"I think you're just being paranoid, mate." Owen turned back to his screen, seemingly unperturbed by the newcomer. While he wasn't as taken with her as Jack and Tosh, he wasn't really interested which was disconcerting all on its own.

Ianto just didn't understand why nobody seemed to be as worried as he was and he tried not to let his brooding thoughts consume him as he headed back up into the main part of the Hub. They should all be extremely wary because there really was no telling what could happen. Human intuition wasn't always enough to arm them against the challenges the universe kept throwing their way. But at this point, he didn't feel he could say anything without raising the ire of the rest of the team. He'd long since earned their trust after what he'd done with Lisa, but the shadow of that doubt always haunted his thoughts and it made him cautious.

He wasn't really able to relax until two days later when Delilah was finally sent on her way. Ianto felt better but there was still a strange sense of worry that plagued him. As soon as she was gone, the rest of the team went back to normal, but the change was so abrupt it was almost unnatural. It was almost as if she'd never been there at all. Tosh returned to her computers and Jack resumed his pursuit of Ianto by cornering him in the archives shortly after Delilah left. It should have been a relief but as Jack quickly divested him of his clothing, all he felt was unease.

Later that evening after everyone had gone home, he was making coffee and mulling over his thoughts. He stood barefoot in his shirtsleeves letting the chill of the concrete floor sooth the aftermath of the heat Jack invariably roused in him. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the last few days. It wasn't often that they actually played host to visitors instead of immediately redirecting or imprisoning them. Delilah had been friendly enough but something about her had been off putting.

Ianto felt a presence behind him and assumed that Jack had come up out of the bunker to see what he was doing or coax him back into bed. Or both. So when he turned to see Delilah watching him intently, he was too shocked to react when she leaned in and caught his mouth in an aggressive kiss. She gripped his hair in one hand while the other pried his mouth open with an iron grip on his chin. Her tongue snaked into his mouth and pressed down his own ruthlessly while he let out muffled protests.

When he was finally released, he gasped and fell back against the counter. A tingling burn spread slowly from his mouth down his throat and when he tried to call out, there was no sound. His alarm grew as he was reminded of the poisoned lip gloss John Hart had once used on Gwen. As he slumped to the floor, Delilah crouched down at his side and cupped his chin gently in her hand. Ianto rolled his eyes toward Jack's office but the other man was nowhere in sight. Had she done something to him as well? Ianto's whole body was starting to go numb and his muscles were refusing to respond. The only thing that kept the panic at bay was that he was still able to breathe.

"You truly are amazing," she said. "He doesn't remember me." Her voice was sad and a little wistful before her grip tightened. "All he thinks of is you."

All Ianto could do was lay there and stare at her. Did she know Jack? Was that why she'd been hanging on his every word and trying to catch his eye? Jack had once joked that if they had to go through his back catalogue of exes, it would take decades. Was Ianto forever going to be defending himself against his disgruntled lovers? As his heavy eyes gradually slipped closed, he wondered if he'd survive long enough to meet another.

The next conscious thought Ianto had was that he felt extremely cold. Usually, he suffered from being overwhelmed by heat in Jack's embrace, but he knew he wasn't lying in bed cradled in Jack's arms. He was on his back on a cold, hard surface. There was a sudden, sharp pain on the back of his hand that made him flinch but his limbs still weren't responding. Ianto tried to get up but all he could do was make his fingers twitch.

"Hello darling," a female voice murmured in his ear and made his breath hitch.

Delilah.

"He used to be mine," she continued conversationally. "Jack is like. . ." she drew in a breath and let it out slowly in a controlled sigh. "A force of nature."

Ianto wouldn't disagree, but he felt the need to protest how she chose to deal with it. Warm fingers smoothed a few stray strands of hair away from his chilled forehead.

"I wonder how long it will take for him to forget you," she wondered softly.

Ianto made a small noise in his throat. He knew that Jack would move on and forget him someday and he'd never survive long enough to become a jilted lover himself. No one retired from Torchwood. But there was no use mourning something that was a certainty and he'd come to terms with it long ago. He just wished he could have gone out with a bit more style than being taken down by a vindictive tart who was obsessed with Jack.

A wave of unhappiness overcame Ianto as he thought about how Jack would be left alone again. He'd wanted to be there for him just a little bit longer. If it was possible for him to cry, he would have but there were no tears. There was just an impossible cold that seeped down into his core and deep into his bones.

Ianto wasn't sure how long he floated in an abyss of sadness and self doubt. If he'd paid more attention, this wouldn't have happened. If he'd shared his worries and doubts with the team, maybe they could have prevented all of it. They were in danger. If Delilah could materialized in the Hub so easily without setting off alarms, there was nothing stopping her from wreaking havoc and harming the rest of them. Ianto had a sneaking suspicion that there had been nothing wrong with her temporal manipulator at all. All of this kept repeating over and over in his mind like some temporal loop that would forever repeat itself.

His self-piteous musings were interrupted by a gentle wave of warmth on his face. Ianto thought he felt a gentle touch against his cheek. Had Delilah come back to toy with him? There was no way to tell because he couldn't open his eyes.

"_Owen, he's not breathing_."

Jack. Ianto remembered hearing him say that before but the last time he hadn't been calling for Owen. And he hadn't sounded nearly so distressed. When was that? He couldn't recall ever being in this position before but it felt so strangely familiar, like a gentle kind of deja-vu. Warm lips covered his own and Ianto felt a blissful heat breathing into his body. It filled his lungs and wrapped around his heart which gave a sluggish but hopeful thump in response.

"Come back," Jack whispered.

Ianto took a ragged, painful breath that tore it's way down his throat. It was almost as if his lungs had forgotten what it was like to feel air. The breath came out as a weak, rasping cough that burned but somehow made him feel alive. His muscles cramped and seized, making him whimper softly. Through the pain, he felt himself being wrapped in something warm and cradled gently in strong arms. Ianto forced his eyes open to see Jack gazing down at him with a worried expression on his face.

"Hey there." Jack's blue eyes were intense and watery as a relieved smile pulled at his lips. The sight struck Ianto as deeply buried memories began to surface. He'd been here before just like this.


	6. Chapter 6

**-?-**

Ianto frowned as he tried to get a proper look at himself in the mirror. He had to stand on his toes and even then he couldn't quite see his whole face. At seven years old, Ianto Jones was on the small side, a fact that his fellow students seemed to find amusing. Ianto figured it was just another reason for them to bully him. Not that they needed much of one. It was hard to make friends. He didn't participate in activities, he didn't go out for sports, and his fastidious nature made them all think he was a nancy boy. Being shorter than even most of the girls his age was just the icing on the cake.

He was just finishing washing up from the latest altercation with a group of his classmates during morning break outside. His shirt was dirtied and the seam of his jumper had been torn at the left shoulder. His father would be livid. Always keep up appearances, his father taught him. To be anything less than pristine was unseemly and crying was completely unacceptable. Laughter from out in the hallway made Ianto wipe hastily at his eyes. He turned on the faucet and splashed water on his face, but the voices died away as the others moved on without coming inside. It wasn't even lunchtime yet and already the day was a disaster.

But he'd soldier on without complaint. He always did.

At ten years old, his older sister Rhiannon had it so much easier. She had friends and their father adored her. Ianto sometimes felt rather put out that he had to work so much harder for just the smallest bit of affection. Perhaps it was because she could bat her eyes and turn on the charm when she wanted. Or maybe because she looked so much like their mam. Ianto sighed and tried to think about something else.

Their mother had gotten ill this past spring and it was taking such a long time for her to get better. It made their father cross and he was always telling him and Rhi to keep quiet and let her rest. But when Ianto got home from school there were a couple of precious hours where Rhiannon was busy with clubs and activities and his father wasn't yet home from work. Ianto would go in and sit with his mam to keep her company. She wasn't always awake but he would read her poetry from her favorite book. Sometimes, he'd just hold her hand.

But he'd have some cleaning up to do today before he could spend time with her. There was nothing he could do about the torn jumper but he was going to try his best to wash the stains out of his clothes before he father saw them. Straightening himself to his full, if not overly tall height, he gathered the taters of his dignity and went back to the classroom.

It was lunchtime break when things went from bad to worse. He'd been bumped in the lunch line earlier, making him spill his tray. Fortunately, he escaped getting any additional stains on his uniform but everyone had laughed and he hadn't quite managed to keep the hot flush from creeping up his neck. He'd eaten quickly and retreated to the yard to try and find a rare moment of peace. Most of the teachers assured him that ignoring his antagonists would make them lose interest and leave him alone. He thought they were full of crap. No matter how much he kept to himself and tried to stay out their way, they managed to find amusement in tormenting him. Ianto found himself cornered once again as three other boys boxed him in against the fence in the yard.

"Saw your da behind the counter at Debenham's last night," one of them scoffed. "Master tailor, my arse."

Ianto stiffened but kept his gaze lowered. He wasn't quite sure why he'd lied. He really didn't care that his father worked in a shop. But his tad was just so proud and he knew he didn't like his job so he'd come up with something he thought sounded more dignified. A hand shoved Ianto's shoulder roughly, making him stumble back into the fence.

"Oi. I'm talkin' to you, ya wee nancy."

Ianto lifted his head, his lip curling in anger. One of these days he was going to let himself do something rash. They were all bigger than him and getting into a fight would get him a disciplinary mark. But he was seriously tempted. He didn't even care that they were drawing an audience and everyone would probably laugh. But before he could muster the courage to stand up to them, a sudden gust of wind blew across the yard hard enough to make everyone cover their faces to brace against the dust. Some of the others started screaming and running toward the building. Before they reached the safety of the school, a bright flash of light engulfed them.

And then they were just gone.

The screaming started in earnest as the other children scattered. Even his tormentors turned tail and ran. Ianto watched with a horrid kind of fascination as the beam of light reappeared and swept across the yard, scooping up his classmates and making them disappear. He didn't think to run himself and when one of the beams headed straight for him, all he could do was stand his ground and wait for the end. As the glare surrounded him and became too much, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was surrounding by screaming children once again. But the school was gone.

They were in some kind of darkened room that he didn't recognize. Not even in his wildest fantasies had he imagined something like this ever happening. The others didn't seem to be quite so intrigued by the experience as they continued to cry and wail. There was a sense of panic and fear that saturated the room. Ianto felt the sharp tang of fright himself but chose not to lose his calm completely. That wouldn't solve anything. He felt a surge of petty satisfaction when he saw the boys who'd been picking on him crying in the corner. But that too was pushed aside. He had no idea where they were or why they'd been brought here.

After a while when the shock had worn off and the screaming had mostly died down to quiet whimpers, the lights grew a little brighter and the door opened. That's when they saw that they weren't alone and the screaming started all over again. Several tall people came in and moved into the room, but they didn't look normal. Their faces looked strangely shaped with really wide jaws and a high ridge at the top of their heads that looked like bone. They were making strange noises, almost as if they were speaking another language. But it wasn't anything Ianto recognized. He wasn't entirely sure they were even human.

It was a bit sci-fi, all of this. He'd only ever seen things like this on television or read about them in books. But it was made an almost painful reality as one of them gripped his arm and pulled him forward. He bit back a whimper of pain as the creature's claws pricked his skin. An object was waved in front of his face and it made several beeping sounds. His captor said something that sounded like a question before handing him over to one of the others. A blue tag was attached to Ianto's jumper and he winced as it made a hole in the already damaged fabric.

One by one, the strange beings tagged each one of his classmates with various colors. The ones with red tags disappeared in a flash of light much like the bright beams that brought them here. The ones with green were escorted out of the room with rough hands and even rougher words that they still couldn't understand. That left Ianto and three others with blue tags. There were two of the strange creatures who stood watching them with interest for a few moments before leaving the room and closing the door.

The other students with him were in other classes and Ianto didn't even know their names. They gathered together for comfort while Ianto stood alone off to one side. Part of him wanted to join them, to grasp their hands and press in close to feel like he was a part of something. He'd been alone for so long. But he was afraid. What would they think? Would they push him away or make fun of him like everyone else did?

They all jumped and cried out when the door opened again and four more of the creatures entered the room. They moved forward quickly to grip each one of them and pulled them out of the room. They all went calmly enough, too afraid to do anything else. But when they entered a huge room and were brought up onto a large platform in front of a large group of strange looking creatures, the fear started to return. Ianto started to tremble and he tried to twist out of the creature's grip. The clawed hand on his arm tightened painfully and gave him a sharp shake. It barked something he couldn't understand but the threat was clear. Ianto's calm began to crumble but he was too afraid to make any more fuss.

The crowd started to get louder as one of the creatures on the platform started pointing at each of Ianto's classmates in turn. One by one, they were brought forward and when the furious talking reached its peak, their captors pressed something against their necks. Each child quieted and went limp as they were scooped up and carried out of the room. When it was Ianto's turn, he had to clench is teeth and makes fists with his hands to keep himself from crying. The noise became so loud he could barely hear himself think. Then a huge, concussive bang echoed suddenly in the room and everything became quiet.

"By edict of the Shadow Proclamation, you are ordered to cease and desist." The voice rang in the silence just before the creatures in the audience started to disappear one by one in bright flashes of colored light. Others tried to make a run for it and were caught by people in military uniforms who were blocking the doors. Ianto couldn't hold back the startled cry as he found himself snatched up and carried off the platform. He was being taken away from the only familiar looking thing he'd seen since the schoolyard. Squirming and kicking, he tried to get loose.

They came to an abrupt halt in the middle of a back hallway but not from any effort on Ianto's part. There was a man standing in the way with his long coat swirling around his legs as he aimed a pistol at them. Ianto was pulled back against his captor and held tightly as one of the devices he'd seen earlier was held against his throat.

"I wouldn't do that," the man said quietly.

The creature said something in reply that sounded a lot like a threat.

"You really think so?" The man smiled and cocked the gun. But his expression changed instantly. "No!"

Ianto felt a sharp pinch just under his chin and he got really dizzy before he was shoved forward suddenly. He couldn't catch himself as he fell but he didn't hit the hard cement floor like he expected. His eyes slipped closed and they felt too heavy to open again.

"Brenna! I need you over here right now!" The man sounded angry and scared as he yelled. But his next words were quiet and soft. "Hang in there."

"Are you-" A woman's voice. "Shit, Jack! What happened?"

The man huffed out a tired, angry breath. "London happened. I told you I didn't want them here."

"This was too big for us and you know it." Gentle hands touched the sore spot on Ianto's neck that was steadily growing warmer. She sighed. "I had no idea they were taking children as well."

"Did we get to them all in time?" Jack asked carefully like he was afraid of the answer.

"Yes, they're all accounted for," she said, her voice distracted. "He's the last one."

Ianto didn't quite understand what they meant. He tried to focus on their words but his chest started to ache and felt incredibly heavy.

"Brenna, he's not breathing," Jack said, his voice a sounding desperate.

"A bad reaction to the drug. Here."

Ianto felt another sharp stab in his neck and he whimpered softly. The weight on his chest seemed to lift and he took in a painful breath. It came out as a cough that ached all the way down that was only mildly soothed by someone rubbing his chest. He opened his eyes to see the man called Jack staring down at him. He smiled down at Ianto with his blue, blue eyes.

"Hey there," Jack said to him, his voice gentle. "What's your name?"

"Jones," Ianto mumbled. "Ianto Jones." He was wrapped in a great big coat and he felt so comfortably warm. Snuggling into the man who held him, he reveled in the touch of another person. The man smiled again and held him close.

"Let's get you home."

Ianto gripped the wool in his fingers and listened to the man's steady heartbeat where his head rested on his chest. He wasn't really in any hurry. Home meant pain and worry and trying so hard for so very little in return. It hurt and he wasn't sure how much longer he could stand it. Ianto squeezed his eyes shut as they began to sting. A soft hiccup shook him even though he tried to hold it in.

"Shhh. It's alright. It's over." The man rested his cheek on Ianto's hair and rocked him gently. Ianto clung to the warmth and comfort as he tried to hold onto it as long as he could.

. . . . . . .

Eighteen years later, Ianto stared up into Jack's blue eyes and felt his own widen. He remembered everything that happened that day. Jack had settled on the floor held him for quite a while before picking him up carefully like he was something precious and carrying him out of the building. The woman with him, presumably Torchwood's doctor at the time, had followed them out so she could keep an eye on him. They set Ianto in the back of a jeep where he huddled in the depths of the long coat that still held the warmth of the man who had worn it. Jack had sat with him and given him something to drink that made him sleepy. Curling up in the coat, he'd fallen asleep leaning against the man he'd never seen before and might never seen again.

When he'd woken up, he was in the hospital and he couldn't remember where he'd been or what had happened. What little he could recall was so unbelievable that he'd never told anyone. His father had been so angry because he thought that Ianto had run away. He'd been confined to the house for a month which in all honesty wasn't that much different than most days. What had bothered him most was how worried his mother had been. She'd cried when he came home and he'd curled up on the bed at her side and cried with her. For years after that he'd felt like he was missing something. Only when he'd starting working for Torchwood on London did he actually feel like he was getting any closer to what it was.

"Jack." Ianto reached up to touch Jack's face as he blinked through the ice crystals that were rapidly melting from his lashes. He was lying in the other man's arms wrapped up in the coat again.

"Vitals are stabilizing," Owen said where he knelt beside them. He pulled back the coat to bare Ianto's arm so he could swab him for an injection. "Stay put for a while so the meds can take effect. This wasn't exactly a professional job and I want to make sure all your bits and pieces are still working before you try to get on your feet."

Beside them Ianto could see the cobbled together remains of a cryogenics unit. How long had he been trapped inside? He frowned as he tried to flex his numb fingers and toes.

"How long?" he croaked.

A shadow fell across Jack's face. "Three weeks," he said quietly as he shifted his grip and leaned back against the wall so he could hold Ianto closer.

"We found him, Jack," Owen murmured and squeezed Jack's shoulder before leaving them alone. From the tone of his voice and the look on his face, those three weeks hadn't been easy.

"What about Delilah?" Ianto asked after a few minutes.

"Gone." It was said with a certain finality that made Ianto wonder if she was occupying her own cold drawer in the Hub. Jack ran his fingers through Ianto's damp hair. "Did she hurt you?"

"No." Ianto licked his lips and swallowed hard. "She wanted to see how long it would take you to forget me."

Jack hugged him close but didn't reply.

"She said she knew you," Ianto said carefully. "Did you remember her?"

"Yes," Jack sighed. "But I have no interest in revisiting my past. I was trying to get her to leave as soon as possible."

Something in Ianto settled and he let out a long sigh as he snuggled closer. He wished he'd known before all this started and he once again thought that he should have said something when it could have made a difference.

"I try to live my life in the present without dwelling on what happened in the past," Jack told him between comforting kisses that he started to press to Ianto's temple. "You're part of my life and I'm not going to forget you so easily."

Ianto noticed that he didn't say he'd be part of Jack's future. He'd already known that because one way or another, Jack was going to move on some day. But he was here right now and Ianto was going to fight to stay with him as long as he could. It was some time later when Jack helped him to his feet, supporting most of his weight as he guided him out to the SUV. Settling Ianto in the backseat, he sat beside him and tucked the coat around him before securing his seatbelt. Jack leaned in to cup his cheek and nuzzle his neck.

"Let's get you home."

Ianto turned his head and kissed Jack's brow with lips that were still slightly chilled. The phrase had a whole different meaning now than it did all those years ago. It didn't matter if they went back to his flat or to the Hub. Wherever he was with Jack, Ianto was home.


End file.
